The installation by Scottish artist Michael Pinsky, displayed at Los Pastitos, is a stark warning and call for reflection: what are we willing to endure in the air we breathe?
An Immersive Journey Through Pollution
Pinsky’s “Pollution Pods” installation at the heart of the 2025 International Cervantino Festival (FIC) has become the most uncomfortable yet necessary piece of this edition. Five interconnected geodesic domes, set up at Los Pastitos, replicate the temperature, scents, and most importantly, the air quality of some of the world’s most polluted cities, forcing visitors to confront the climate crisis through their own breathing.
A Sensory and Sound Journey Through Pollution
The installation immerses visitors in a journey starting with a reference dome, equivalent to Guanajuato’s capital air quality (approximately 41 on the Air Quality Index, AQI, considered moderate) or London, UK. From there, conditions rapidly deteriorate.
New Delhi, India, is described by Pinsky as “the worst of all,” this capsule replicates the heat and a pollution level that can reach 400 AQI points. “The atmosphere is stifling, and the smell, peculiarly acidic, resembles industrial waste,” explains the artist to this medium while making some adjustments to the installation.
Then there’s Beijing, China, where the winter atmosphere is replicated. Apart from usual pollution, notes of wood and burning coal for heating are perceptible, creating an atmosphere that can easily reach 200 AQI points. Lastly, Sao Paulo, Brazil presents a different kind of pollution. The heat is noticeable, and the atmosphere, generated with special humidifiers, emits a citrusy and fruity scent. This peculiar smell is due to the city’s transition to biofuels like bioethanol.
Each dome includes screens displaying the historical air quality of the city, based on real-time data (using the AQI scale and the Plume app), emphasizing the scientific basis of the performance.
To Make Audiences Uncomfortable for Reflection
Pinsky’s primary goal is to make the audience uncomfortable. “If I couldn’t tolerate 3 seconds in a capsule supposedly representing the daily life of thousands, why should they endure such extreme conditions?” is the question posed upon leaving the installation.
Alicia Gama, an architect and British Council facilitator for the project, highlighted that the impact is the most powerful part. “My favorite part, definitely, is when you step out into Guanajuato and think, ‘Okay, I can’t say we’re better than Norway… but you definitely feel the impact, and that’s my favorite part, feeling the air and reflecting a bit on what we’re doing regarding air quality.”
Another facilitator, Paola Aguilar, emphasized the correlation between air and human development. “Air quality is strictly related to your personal development, both physically and mentally,” with a high index (close to 500 AQI) being detrimental even to neurological development.
The Catharsis of the Public
Visitor responses have been awe and deep reflection. Upon exiting the capsules, the feeling of well-being breathing Guanajuato’s air is inescapable.
“Yes, I liked it and it does create awareness because it shows how other countries are all polluted. When you’re inside, you start missing your natural habitat, your natural air and it creates awareness of how my state compares to others,” commented Sayuri Hernández García, an exhibition visitor.
Another attendee, Alma Susana Hernández García, emphasized that the work is an urgent call: “There comes a point when you think, ‘I can’t breathe well, I can’t even see clearly.’ You exit the bubbles into your surroundings and realize we have a lot to take care of… we’re still on time to leave a good place for future generations.”
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main goal of Michael Pinsky’s installation? Pinsky aims to make audiences uncomfortable to provoke reflection on the air quality crisis.
- How does the installation replicate polluted city conditions? Five interconnected geodesic domes replicate temperature, scents, and air quality of polluted cities like New Delhi, Beijing, and Sao Paulo.
- What impact has the installation had on visitors? Visitors have expressed awe, deep reflection, and increased awareness of air quality issues.
- What is the correlation between air quality and human development? High pollution levels can negatively impact physical and mental health, even neurological development.
